


Call Me Maybe

by NemiMontoya



Category: Okja (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Jay and Red as siblings, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-12 00:39:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11725902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NemiMontoya/pseuds/NemiMontoya
Summary: "Red’s philosophy regarding her Soul Mark was very healthy. She said she would meet her Mate when it’s time, but until that happens she’s not going to be so busy looking for her Mate that she forgets to live her life. Jay always admired her for thinking like that. He wished he could do the same."





	Call Me Maybe

**Author's Note:**

> So, I really wanted to try writing a soulmate-tattoo fic. I thought about making it a "first words spoken" type, but came up with this instead. Hope you enjoy! And if you do enjoy it, and feel up to leaving me a little comment, I'll adore you forever. Also, I have written two other fics for Okja if you're interested.

Red’s philosophy regarding her Soul Mark was very healthy. She said she would meet her Mate when it’s time, but until that happens she’s not going to be so busy looking for her Mate that she forgets to live her life. Jay always admired her for thinking like that. He wished he could do the same.

Red’s Mark was a symbol - a shoe with a broken heel, in the palm of her left hand. Jay envied her. It seemed like something easy to identify. His own Mark was much more frustrating. Three words that appeared on his right arm on his fifteenth birthday. They weren’t always this frustrating. Back before he understood what they meant he used to be able to have a more relaxed attitude about it, even if he could never really stop thinking _”When? Is it today?”_ It was better before he understood. He used to think they were words his Mate would say to him on their first meeting. He waited for years and years, but the words were never spoken. 

But then one day, Red had stopped by his apartment with a strange look on her face. 

”Have you heard it?” she asked breathlessly.

”Heard what?”

”I thought as much. You’d better sit down for this,” she said, steering him towards the living room and pushing him down on the couch. She pulled out her phone, made a search for something, then held it up.

”Listen to this.”

Upbeat pop music started playing. Jay raised an eyebrow.

”This is why you came over? Red…”

”Shhh!!” she hissed. ”Just listen!”

And he heard it.

 

_”Hey, I just met you_

_and this is crazy_

_but here’s my number_

_so call me maybe.”_

 

Call me maybe. 

Those were the words written on his right arm in twirling cursive. Jay turned to Red.

”That’s…”

She nodded, squeaking excitedly.

”That’s what the song is called, Jay. This is it. Your Soul Mark… is a teen pop song.”

And then she started laughing. Falling back on the couch, she rolled around, laughing so hard her eyes watered.

The song ended. Jay grabbed her phone and replayed it.

”Why aren’t you saying anything?” Red asked, wiping tears from her eyes. ”I thought meeting your Bond Mate was your dearest wish. And now you’re closer than ever. Now you know what it means. You’re gonna hear this song during your first meeting!” 

She listened for a bit.

”Catchy, ain’t it?”

”Yes…” Jay said. ”…it’s certainly cheerful.”

”Aren’t you excited?”

He was, but he also had a sneaking suspicion that this would complicate his life quite a bit. And those suspicions were later confirmed. The song was a smash hit. It was _everywhere_. Hardly a day went by without him hearing it somewhere. And it made it impossible for him to relax. He would hear the song played in a store, a café, on the radio of a passing car, someone’s ringtone, and - no matter what he was doing or how bad he was in a hurry - he would stop and look around, and wonder.

_”Is this the time? Are you here? Where are you? Why haven’t we met yet?”_

Jay wanted so bad to be like Red, just casually going on with his life without any worry. But that song haunted him.

It was strange, this feeling. How can you possibly miss someone you never met? Yet that’s what it felt like. Jay missed his Mate, whoever it was. Badly.

But time passed, and his Mate did not appear. Call Me Maybe was heard less frequently. Months went by, then years, and never at any time when Jay heard the song did he meet anyone who gave any indication whatsoever that they recognized Jay as their Mate.

What if their meeting had already happened without them recognizing each other? Was that possible? What it his Mate had recognized him, but hadn’t liked what they saw and just walked away? What if his Mate didn’t want him? Was _that_ possible? It didn’t seem like it should be, but there was still so much about the Soul Marks that were a complete mystery. 

Nobody had ever even been able to explain where they came from. Everyone had theories. Scientists had devoted their whole lives trying to discover the secret, but no one had succeeded. And the origin of the marks weren’t the only thing shrouded in mystery. Exactly how they worked were another thing no one was one hundred percent sure of. Most Mates were of a romantic nature, but some were simply friends. A small number of Mates were family members. Some never got any Mark at all. Why was anyone’s guess. And since so much about the Mark was unknown, was it even possible to go your whole life without ever finding your Mate? Jay had heard rumors as a child of people dying of old age without doing so. He had never believed those rumors, but now he began to wonder.

One day, his and Red’s close friend Silver introduced them to his Mate, Blond. They had found each other recently, bumping into each other on the street. Jay was really happy for them, but to his shame couldn’t help feeling a sharp twinge of envy. Red came over to his apartment with snacks and her favorite low budget horror dvd’s and tried to cheer him up.

”Jay, honey… How many years has it been since that song was released now? Five?” 

”Six”

She put her arm around him and patted his hair.

”I think the best thing you can do is to just let it go, for now.”

”I’ve tried. I can’t.”

”Yes, you can. You’re young. You will find your Mate someday, but until then… you need to live. Meet new people. Look, I have this friend…”

”Red…”

”Just hear me out. He’s a friend of mine from college, we call him K. Jay and K - sound good, right? He’s really cute and so sweet, and I really think you two would get along.”

Jay sighed.

”I’m not saying you need to fall in love, just… meet him. See where things go.”

Jay shook his head.

”I can’t. I just… I can’t.”

Red sighed and leaned her head against his.

”Then at least get a hobby or something, okay? I hate seeing you like this.”

”Okay.”

”Promise?”

”Promise.”

”Good. Love you, big brother.”

”Love you too.”

Jay glanced at her. She hadn’t found her Mate either, yet her carefree attitude about it never wavered, while he walked around feeling like a piece of himself was missing. Sometimes he wondered if maybe the strength of Red’s Bond wasn’t as strong as his, but now it struck him that maybe she _did_ feel that missing piece just like he did, but it wasn’t that her Bond was weaker, it was she herself that was strong.

Of course it was. She had always been strong. Jay vowed to himself to try to be stronger too.

There was an animal shelter where he did volunteer work a few hours a week. He started putting in more time there, going almost every day. The work helped distract him. He enjoyed caring for the animals, and his mood began to improve.

Red got herself a new job, as a barista at a place nearby. He stopped by often to look in on her. She seemed to be liking her job, and Jay liked sitting there, reading a book while enjoying her amazing coffee. She seemed to be pleased that he was making an effort not to mope around as much, even if he still refused to let her fix him up with someone.

Summer came. One evening, Jay stopped by coffee shop. Red frowned at him as stepped inside.

”Ugh. This heat, and you’re still wearing those ridiculous suits. Can’t you just wear a t-shirt like a normal person?”

”I like my suits. Don’t you always say that people should be able to wear whatever they enjoy?”

”I said that, didn’t I?” she admitted, eyeing his clothes with distaste. ”But you could get a heatstroke.”

”It’s not that hot yet. When it gets warmer, I’ll switch to lighter clothing. Until then… just let me wear what I want.”

”Fine!” she held up her hands in surrender. ”Iced coffee?”

”That would be nice, thank you.”

”Okay. By the way…” she beckoned him towards her. ”Look, over there…” she nodded towards a man wiping down a table in the corner. ”That’s him.”

”Who?”

”K! The guy I wanted to set you up with. He works here, now.”

Jay snuck a glance. Red nudged him.

”Cute, right?”

He was. Attractive, even. _Very_ attractive. 

”You like what you’re seeing!” Red giggled. ”Still dead set against me setting you up?”

Jay glanced at the man again, who at that moment looked up and smiled at them.

”I’ll… think about it,” Jay said.

”Awesome!” Red grinned. ”Go sit down, I’ll bring your coffee.”

Sitting down at his usual table, Jay took out his iPad. The animal shelter had set up a brand new website, and he wanted to take a look. As he entered the url, a very familiar song intro started playing on the café speaker.

_”Not now. I was in such a good mood.”_

 

_”I threw a wish in the well_

_Don’t ask me, I’ll never tell”_

 

Sighing, Jay turned back to the iPad.

”What now?”

Red came over and put his coffee on the table.

”What’s the matter? The song?”

”No… well yes, but also… the screen on this thing just froze.”

Red’s eyes gleamed.

”Perfect! K is really tech savvy. I bet he can fix it, and you can thank him by, I don’t know… taking him to dinner?”

”Red, wait… don’t…!”

”Hey, K!” she yelled loudly. ”My brother’s iPad just froze up, we need your skilled hands!”

Grinning devilishly, she went to serve a customer as K approached. 

”Hi, I’m K,” he said, smiling pleasantly. ”So, you’re Red’s brother? I’ve heard a lot about…”

He went suddenly silent, smile slipping away. His eyes were fixed on the iPad. 

” _What_ is that?” he asked, pointing at it with a trembling finger.

”That’s… the iPad,” Jay replied, frowning. ”Shouldn’t you be aware of that? Red suggested you were knowledgable when it comes to technology.”

”Not that,” K said, still looking like he’d seen a ghost. ” _That_! The picture!”

Jay looked down. A cartoon style image of a kitten curled up inside a white cloud filled the screen.

”Oh, that. That’s the logo for the animal shelter where I volunteer.”

Swallowing, K put his foot up on the chair next to Jay’s, and began pulling up the leg on his jeans. 

 

_”Hey, I just met you_

_and this is crazy”_

 

There, on his calf, Jay could see it. The exact same kitten, curled up in the exact same cloud. His hands began to shake, his heart was pounding and his eyes filled with tears. He got to his feet, and met K’s anxious eyes.

”Is it you?” K asked, voice trembling. ”Are you my…?”

Yanking up his shirtsleeve, ripping the buttons off the cuff in the process, Jay showed K his Mark. Seeing the words K laughed, eyes shining with tears.

”Oh my god. Oh… my fucking _god_!” he whispered. ”Fuck!”

Jay could feel wetness on his own cheeks

 

_”Before you came into my llife_

_I missed you so bad_

_I missed you so, so bad”_

 

Pushing the chair out of the way, Jay approached him.

”Sorry, I just… I’ve been waiting for this for so long, I just need to…”

”Yeah…”

Jay pulled him into a hug. K wrapped his arms around his waist tightly. Then Jay felt another pair of arms around the two of them. That was Red, having witnessed everything from the register where she had been standing and realized what it meant.

”You _guys_!” she said in a thick voice. ”When I wanted to set you up, I never imagined… Oh my god, this is awesome. I’m so fucking happy for you!”

”Hello, _excuse_ me? Can I get some service here?” an annoyed woman at the register called out. Red pulled back, wiping her eyes.

”Coming, ma’am. Go easy on me, my brother just found his Bond Mate.”

”Oh,” the woman’s voice softened. ”Congratulations.”

”I’ll go take care of her. You guys, just… continue, or… whatever.”

Red practically skipped back to the register.

Later that night Jay lay in bed, listening to Call Me Maybe on repeat, quietly giggling to himself as he read his goodnight text from K over and over. They had agreed to meet up the next day for dinner, and that they would take their time just getting to know each other. For about half the night, Jay was too excited to sleep only to suddenly pass out and have the best night’s sleep he’d had in years. Finally, he could rest peacefully.

Dinner went well, and they met up several times more in the following week. Jay was happier than he could remember having ever been.

_”So this is how it feels,”_ he thought. Not only did it feel like he had found that missing piece of himself, but it also felt like he had gained more, that he had been blessed with something special. Whenever he wasn’t with K, he couldn’t stop thinking about him, and whenever they were together Jay couldn’t take his eyes off him. He felt utterly and completely smitten. 

And with that came a slight worry. What if K wanted to keep things platonic? Just because they were Bond Mates didn’t necessarily mean romance. Jay knew that was what he wanted… but what did K want?

The answer to that came later that week. The two had been out for a walk, and Jay followed K to the coffee shop for his evening shift. K was about to walk inside when he turned in the door, walked up to Jay and, put his hand on the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. K moved his lips softly and slowly against Jay’s, making his heart flutter and his toes curl. He pulled away for just a second, then moved in again. Jay held him close as they kissed, caressing an exposed bit of skin at his lower back.

”I… I _really_ wanted to do that,” K breathed against his lips.

”Me too,” Jay whispered.

”Holy shit.” K pulled away, straightening out his clothes. ”I’d better go in.”

”Okay.”

K walked up to the door, then turned again.

”Hey, Jay?” he made a big, cheesy grin. ”Call me, maybe?”

Jay grinned back.

”Maybe.”


End file.
